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NASHVILLE –
Jourdan Wickliffe picked off a pass in the first overtime session that helped Eastern Illinois remain undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference play with a 25-22 win at Tennessee State on Saturday night.
Nick Bruno knocked home a 26-yard field goal during EIU's first overtime possession to give the Panthers the 25-22 advantage. It was the second time that EIU has beaten TSU in overtime at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans.
EIU improved to 3-3 overall, 3-0 in the OVC. The Panthers will host Tennessee Tech next Saturday at 1 pm in the 100th homecoming celebration on campus. TSU fell to 3-3 overall, 0-3 in the OVC.
With EIU holding the lead most of the game, TSU changed momentum on a blocked punt by David Kamara that the Tigers recovered at the 3-yard line. TSU scored with Ronald Butler hitting Chris Sanders-McCollum on a 7-yard pass. TSU failed on the two-point conversion to lead 19-14 with 3:20 to play in the third quarter.
EIU regained the lead with a solid drive in the fourth quarter. The Panthers had six rushing playing covering 63 yards as
Devin Church found the end zone for the second time in the game, this time from 25 yards out. EIU then pushed its lead to 22-19 as
Jalen Whitlow hit
Addison Bounds for the two-point conversion.
Church finished with 125 yards on 17 carries. It was the third straight game that Church has scored two or more touchdowns.
Lane Clark tied the game at 22-22 with 6:41 to play in the fourth quarter, hitting a 50-yard field goal. It was Clark's third made field goal of the game.
Both teams had two possessions in the final 2:31 of regulation but were unable to generate any offense.
Two big plays, one on each side of the ball, helped Eastern Illinois hold on to a 14-10 halftime lead over Tennessee State.
The Panthers big offensive play was with 9:50 to play in the second quarter as Whitlow hit Bounds for a 62-yard touchdown strike. It was the second straight week that Whitlow and Bounds had connected for a touchdown pass covering more than 60 yards.
EIU's big defensive play came with two seconds remaining in the half as
Dylan Chatman intercepted a TSU pass at the one yard line to end a potential Tigers scoring drive.
Both teams traded a turnover to open the game. EIU blocked a punt on TSU's first possession as
Ben Odugbesan came through the line. Ezra Robinson gave the ball back to the Tigers on EIU's first play with an interception inside the five yard line.
EIU would sustain a drive midway through the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead with 7:25 to play in the first quarter on a Church 8-yard run.
TSU would tie the game with 11:21 to play in the second quarter as Butler ran in from 30-yards out. Butler had 104 yards rushing and 125 passing for the Tigers.
Clark's 31-yard field goal for TSU with 4:16 to play in the first half made it 14-10. Clark knocked home a 41-yard field goal with 8:59 to play in the third quarter to make it 14-13 EIU. The drive was set up by a Terrell Bonds interception at the TSU six yard line and returned deep into EIU territory. EIU's defense was able to hold on the drive.
In what turned out to be a defensive battle
Seth McDonald led EIU with eight tackles and one sack.
Bradley Dewberry had six tackles.
Chris Collins led TSU with seven tackles and Kamara had seven.
